Bear Tattoos for Men
Tattoo art has increasingly become a popular method of adorning our bodies. Tattoo artists usually use their creativity to depict various elements, and natural themes are often used for artistic expression. Bear tattoos are one of the most popular types of animal tattoos among men: attractive and steeped in symbolism. Bear tattoos for men are thought to symbolize nobility and strength. They also serve as a representation of hunter, fisher, warrior and mother. They can be done in a way that portrays sereneness and docility in the forest. The artist can also depict them in a way that displays danger and ferocity.
There are several species of bear, spread in a wide variety of geographical zones including the Panda bear, Kodiak bear, brown bear, grizzly bear and the polar bear.The Kodiak and the grizzly bears represent great strength and danger. The polar and koala bears are usually portrayed by people who are involved in preservation efforts since they are an endangered species. The panda bear can be used to symbolize either depression or wisdom and peace.
Origins and Meanings of Bear Tattoos for Men
Native Americans considered the bear to be a highly symbolic animal. Some tribes like the Pueblo and Sioux Indians revered the animal and associated it with healing powers. However in other cultures in Europe, the bear was associated with war and Christians regarded it as an extremely cruel animal. For the Celts, the bear symbolized the power of the moon. The moon was thought to be a female symbol and this made the bear to be linked with motherhood and childbearing. According to the Chinese, the bear possessed yan energy, and associated it with power, machismo and bravery. Among the Greeks and Romans, the bear represented the Artemis and Diana, the goddesses of hunting. During winter the bears hibernate and they were considered to gain wit when they sleep. When spring comes and they emerge from hibernation, this symbolized reawakening of their power.
Nowadays the bear is widely portrayed in cartoons, movies, television and sports. Examples of sports franchises that use the bear as a team symbol include the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bears. There are people who get the bear tattoo as a way of supporting their favorite team or as a cartoon. The teddy bear was named after President Theodore Roosevelt because he refused to kill a cub of a black bear during a hunting expedition.
Designs for Bear Tattoos
The bear tattoo can be depicted in various ways. Even though you can ink the tattoo in any area of the body, many people commonly place it on their chests, lower backs and the forearms. Some individuals want the bear tattoo to have an evil and fierce look while others prefer it to have a relaxed and calm look. There are those with tattoos that depict only the face of the bear while others show the whole body of the bear. You can also have a design of the male bear or a female bear with one or two bear cubs.
It is important to do some research before you get your bear tattoo. You need to make sure that you get an experienced artist who can create amazing bear designs with a beautiful shadow effect. But there are a lot of different designs and styles and you need to be confident about the choice you make. This will ensure that you do not get a tattoo that you will regret about later on.
Check out the best bear tattoos for men
Black and white bear tattoo on male forearm, fairly large in size and is covering most of the forearm. Tattoo depicts the face of a roaring bear, with feather-like leaves emerging from underneath and petal-like shrouds rising on the top of the bears head.
Tattoo of a bear and its cubs etched in black and white on the side of male upper arm, with a slight pinkish hue. In the background there is a bear with its jaws wide open and behind it are trees and snow. In the foreground a bear is lying with four little cubs.
A collection of three separate bear tattoos for men, etched on their upper arms and extending towards the shoulder. All three tattoos are black and white and show a grizzly bear walking through tall, thick grass. The far top of each tattoo is a stripe of slight reddish hue, showing the bear's body fading away.
A bear tattoo etched on the backside of male forearm. This bear tattoo design shows a roaring bear, jaws wide open and teeth clearly showing. The image is very symmetric and aligns perfectly with center of forearm.
One of the most innovative bear tattoos, this black and white design features a giant bear walking across the skyline in the background, in the fore ground you can see trees shining in moonlight beneath the bear.
One of the coolest bear tattoo ideas, this one is etched in black and white on the side of a male forearm. It is medium sized and placed in between the wrist and elbow, showing an outline of a bear, with black pine trees inside and white colored mountains in the background.
This one is a black and white tattoo extending all the way around the lower forearm just above the wrist. It shows a bear prowling through the forest at night, with some trees nearby
This one is a rather unique variation of bear tattoo ideas for men, featuring a combination of black and white along with shades of pink and green in the background. The tattoo shows the face of a bear calmly looking in one direction, with little white trees covering the foreground.
This bear tattoo is highly expressive, with a certain depth to the image. It is a really bold bear tattoos idea implemented perfectly, and is etched in dark brown shade along the lower forearm. In it a bear seems like it is staring out of the forearm, with a lot of detail on the fur of the bears face and neck.
Bear tattoos ideas don't get any simpler than this. A simple black and white footprint of a bear, etched on the lower forearm's back side, just above the wrist. Simple in design, yet with a strong contrast present between the tattoo and skin, a symbol of integrity and power.
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This is one of the most aggressive looking bear tattoos for guys who want to send out a raw, untamed vibe. It shows a brown bear tearing out of the upper arm of a male, with tearing effects visible on the bottom near the bear's claws and on the top as well.
Representing pure aggression and power, this tattoo shows an angry bear charging with its jaws wide open and front paws raised to attack. Beneath the bear, lies a belt of bullets, wrapped around the upper arm of a male.
A tattoo that extends from the back of the shoulders, to just above the elbow, this tattoo shows a bear calmly gazing upwards at a white waterfall, with the face of a wolf beneath, to the left side. There is a beautiful black and white streak running down the back of the upper arm from the shoulder, towards the bear.
Etched in dark blue ink around the upper arm, extending downwards from the shoulders. It shows an angry bear with its jaws open and the teeth showing, the teeth have been etched in a white hue to make them appear more brightly in the dark. Also, there are little, curved patterns around the head of the bear.
Etched in dark grey hues, with a light tint of red, this bear tattoo is drawn on the rear upper arm of a male, around the triceps area. It shows the face of a roaring bear, jaws open and teeth clearly visible.
Etched on a male forearm, this extremely detailed bear tattoo shows the face of a brown grizzly bear roaring, teeth showing between the jaws. Beneath, there are feathers tucked away to the side of the arm.
This bear tattoo is a black and white tattoo, etched on the side of the chest, and extending all the way from the upper ribs to the waist. It shows a ferocious looking bear with fiery eyes, jaws open and teeth out.
This bear tattoo is etched on the side of a male upper arm and shows a bear opening its jaws and exposing the deadly teeth inside, in the background a clump of black trees is visible. The bear face is etched in shades of grey, black, and white, with white strands flying across the bears face.
This bear tattoo is etched in a colorful, clear manner. It is drawn on the forearm and shows an angry bear roaring, and its two arms appear like they are tearing the skin, underneath which mechanical construction of the arm is being revealed.
A very inspiring work of art on human skin, this tattoo shows a roaring bear and a gnarling wolf, each on opposite sides of the chest, drawn in blood red and representing ferocity and aggressiveness. On the left shoulder you can see a gray skull with fracture lines running through the top, on the other shoulder there is a ghoulish figure.
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Drawn just under the shoulders and on the back of a male body, this impressive bear tattoo shows a cutaway of the human body with a roaring bear underneath the skin, representing the fact that the bearer is powerful and fearless just like the bear within.
Drawn on the top right of a male chest, this tattoo represents a more primitive and tribal sort of design. It is an outline of a bear, drawn from the side, and features beautiful blue, green and white patterns running within the body inside the outline.
Drawn on a male forearm, this tattoo covers the full circumference of the arm and extends up to the elbow. It shows a an angry bear charging throw the snow, with trees in the background. The image contains shades of grey, green, black, and reddish brown.
This bear tattoos idea is etched on a male forearm, all around the arm. It shows a bears face, with the jaws wide open and teeth showing The bear represents darkness and power, saliva flowing from the bottom of its wide open jaws, and a battle scarred eye. Both eyes are fiery white contrasting against a black background.
One of the bear tattoo ideas that shows a calm and serene image of a bear looking in a direction, its face covering the major portion of the tattoo while the rest of its body can be seen behind. There is a metallic star underneath the face of the bear, with a twig of leaves emerging to the side. The foreground is covered in a hue of reddish brown, while the star and leaves are a silvery white.
This bear tattoo makes use of simple colours to create a powerful image, using only black and red ink the artist has made great use of the empty spaces to create a scenic image featuring a bear in it’s natural habitat. The whole image is captured within a distorted picture frame to give the impression that you’re viewing the scene through a window.
A beautifully draw bear head which manages to show every single hear on the beasts head. Full of natural and primal colours this bear looks fierce but majestic as it glares outwards; as you pull away from the central focus the image becomes more distorted and blurred with muddy colours to create a feel a the wildness of nature.
This is a different take on the bear in its natural habitat feel. Taking up most of an arm this tattoo is splashed with bright and vibrant blues and reads with a bear sitting atop the piece roaring with all of its might. As go further down the tattoo the image becomes less aggressive with calmer colours and images that ends in a silhouette of a bear walking away.
A bear tattoo that takes a more tribal approach to presenting an image of the beast. Featuring only a roaring bears head, this image features only simple tertiary colours that connotes the feel that this was an image drawn by an African tribe rather than a its true identity as a bear tattoo for men.
This is a more unique attempt at a bear tattoo design. Only utilising black ink the artist has made the bear look magnificently 3D. Occupying all the customers hand and stretch down two fingers this tattoo utilises the empty space to make the roaring bear jump out at you.
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This tattoo is another take on the tribal beauty a bear displays, this time utilising the natural habit of the bear through Celtic themed imagery and a forest full of pine, this bear occupies the very centre of the piece and is baring its teeth in a menacing fashion.
This tattoo is another representation a bear in nature; however this time it’s a different take on the theme. The bear lacks features and you can only see it’s silhouette and the body is occupied by a dark forest. The use of dusk colours in this tattoo makes the forest feel cold but magical.
This tattoo occupies the area just above the knee and displays a ferocious and wild bear. The tattoo only uses black ink but in such a manner you can identify the hairs on the head and the fangs glaring out. The artist has chosen to leave the bears eyes purely white which makes the whole piece look more haunting and menacing.
This tattoo shows bear is a more friendly light. Occupying an entire arm the scene masterfully represents the light of a fire and the moon the illuminate the inquisitive bear as it stares at a bat. The artist has depicted a natural scene dominated by the colours beaming from the two light sources.
A small tribal tattoo that occupies the subject’s hand; this bear has two arrows stuck in its head and with specks of blood flying out and a menacing face shows that it didn’t go down without a fight. Rather than making the bear look natural instead it has been inked with tribal paints and patterns to make it look unnatural but menacing.
This is one of the bear tattoos for men that masterfully displays a bear lunging out to catch a fish, with turbulent water swirling around the characters within the piece. The artist has used as little ink as possible to create a stunning action image through fantastic use of shading and empty space.
This is a peaceful, enquiring bear that’s stood up in the water looking out to the world. The artist has managed to give a liquid feel to the entire piece, both through creating pristine water and displaying the bear’s fur as damp.
This tattoo idea takes a different approach to representing a bear; rather than displaying an animal the artist has created a spectral head of a bear roaring through the starry sky. Light up by bright blues and purples the image makes the bear look almost godlike as it soars through the cosmos.
A bear in combat, primal, fierce and bloody; you are only treated to the image of the bear roaring with all its might making a mighty swipe with its claws as it battles its opponent a violent body of water.
Nature and the exploring man all encased within the silhouette of a wandering bear. The centrepiece is a black boat that is being dominated by the vibrant and bright sky that covers it from all angles as the colours are reflected from the water. Surrounded by mountains and untamed forest the bear in this represent the wild beauty of nature.
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Two bears occupy this tattoo, a full bodied spectral bear being dominated by the head of a beat which instead of being made of fur and flash is instead constructed from wines and leaves. In the mouth of the bear is a small house which displays Mother Nature is ready to consume mankind with all her power at any moment.
A wild looking bear painted in a Japanese style, with glaring fangs and wide eyes full of madness and anger. In the bears menacing mouth is a large green emerald, something the beast isn’t going to let go of lightly.
A demonic and ritualistic tattoos ideas that looks as if it has no soul as you stare into the bear's empty eyes. Behind the bear there’s a pentagram peeking out of the top of the piece accompanied by the parallel snakes, and beneath the bear is a setting sun.
Encompassing the entire forearm this reversed tattoo features white silhouette of a bear and on the reverse side of the arm, a man on his horse. This tattoo looks dark and frightful, full of intimidating and dying trees and black birds circling overhead.
Some tattoo ideas for men, like this small and simple design, occupies the inside of a wrist which only has two features: a bear and a star. The bear itself is only an outline of an animal that is searching for the black star that is overhead.
A hunted bear with its mouth wide open expressing an emotion of immense pain; killed by three arrows that go straight through the animals head. Blood is spraying from the bears wounds as its red unseeing eyes glare out to the world.
A tribal bear’s head that is surround by flora with the epicentre of the plant life occupied by the red rose beneath the animal. Roaring with an expression of dominating anger that makes the beast look like is it is looking down upon all that is weaker than it.
A more unique bear tattoo idea; the animal looks as if it has been half way rendered through a piece of 3D modelling software. You can clearly see the key features of the animals face and there are indications of fur, but the piece is dominated by straight black lines that are part of the construction of the animals face.
As bear tattoos for guys go, this one is one of the fiercer around. Featuring a roaring bear glaring it’s fangs with its eyes shrouded in darkness, but the most interesting aspect of the piece is that you’re viewing the bear through one of its paw prints, gaps are blocking out the bear from being in full site, but it looks scary enough anyway.
A bear coming in for the kill, climbing over a rock as it stares down its prey with an expression of pure rage. Spittle dripping from its mouth as it reaches out with its claw to take the final swipe. Beautifully crafted to display every single hair on the animals body, this bear looks almost life like.